The present invention relates in general to a modular processing apparatus, and more particularly, to such an apparatus which is especially adapted for use in designing a modular processing system in connection with the manufacture of semiconductor devices from silicon wafers, for example, by permitting the plural arrangement of independent, self-contained processing modules in a plurality of track and/or branch configurations, each module being independently replaceable as a stand-alone unit with a module adapted to perform the same or different function or operation.
A key to profits in many fabrication processes is factory automation, i.e., removing people from the fabrication area for a host of cost/efficiency reasons which are familiar to every manager. In the manufacture of semiconductor devices, the manufacturing equipment has, in the past, been so complex and inflexible that automation has been difficult to achieve. More particularly, such equipment has been designed without branching or redundant capabilities, so that the entire production process is affected if one link in the process chain brakes. Also, there has been no capability in such prior processing equipment to add, subtract or change processing functions or operations simply and easily. Thus, the prior processing equipment used in the semiconductor manufacturing industry has been custom built for each particular process, which would normally include a series of sequenced processing steps. If the process is modified by, for instance, eliminating one step, an entirely new piece of equipment may be necessary in order to accommodate such a modification. In such a situation, the original piece of equipment could be obsolete, while the new piece of equipment could require large amounts of time and money to manufacture, thereby resulting in an extremely costly and time-consuming replacement procedure for the user.